Teacher and Educator Access to Crucial Health and Wellness Act of 2022 or the TEACH Act of 2022
This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to state educational agencies and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to implement or improve health and wellness programs for education professionals. It also requires the National Institutes of Health to study the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of education professionals.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9475 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9475
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation
of the Secretary of Education, to conduct a study on the impact of
COVID-19 on the mental health of education professionals, to direct the
Secretary of Education to award grants to implement or improve health
and wellness programs for education professionals, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 8, 2022
Mrs. Kirkpatrick (for herself, Ms. Adams, Mr. Evans, Ms. Jacobs of
California, Mr. Kildee, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Norton, Mr. Peters,
Ms. Porter, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Titus, Mr. Trone, and Ms.
Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation
of the Secretary of Education, to conduct a study on the impact of
COVID-19 on the mental health of education professionals, to direct the
Secretary of Education to award grants to implement or improve health
and wellness programs for education professionals, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Teacher and Educator Access to
Crucial Health and Wellness Act of 2022'' or the ``TEACH Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately
negative impact on mental health of educators in the United
States, leading to an increase in stress and burnout among the
education workforce.
(2) According to the National Education Association and the
American Federation of Teachers, rates of stress were higher
among teachers than most other working adults during the
pandemic. More than 3 in 4 teachers reported frequent job-
related stress, compared to 40-percent of other working adults,
and 27-percent of teachers reported symptoms of depression,
compared to 10-percent of other adults.
(3) The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated educator departure
and retirement, which has led to an ongoing teacher
recruitment, retention, and shortage crisis in the United
States.
(4) The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an increased need for
employee health and wellness programs in schools across the
country.
(5) Employee wellness programs can help create a more
supportive work environment for education professionals,
thereby supporting educator retention.
(6) More research is essential to understanding the impact
the COVID-19 pandemic had on educators' mental health, and
there is an immediate need to increase educators' access to
employee wellness programs.
SEC. 3. STUDY ON IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON MENTAL HEALTH OF EDUCATORS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and in
consultation of the Secretary of Education, shall conduct a study that
analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of education
professionals. Such study shall specifically address--
(1) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental
health of education professionals;
(2) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall
staff retention of education professionals;
(3) the barriers that remain with respect to access to
mental health services for education professionals; and
(4) any policies or practices that may promote resiliency
among education professionals, specifically during, and in the
aftermath of, a high-stress event, such as the COVID-19
pandemic.
(b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
submit to the Congress a report--
(1) on the results of the study conducted under subsection
(a); and
(2) that includes the Secretary's recommendations for best
practices--
(A) to promote the mental health of education
professionals, especially during, and in the aftermath
of, a high-stress event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic;
and
(B) to prepare for future high-stress events such
as the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATION
PROFESSIONALS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Education (in this section
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall award, on a competitive basis,
grants to State educational agencies to carry out the activities
described in subsection (d).
(b) Application.--A State educational agency seeking a grant under
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form,
at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary
determines appropriate, including a description of--
(1) staffing shortages of education professionals in the
State; and
(2) how the State educational agency will carry out the
activities described in subsection (d)(1).
(c) Grant Amounts.--Of the total amount of a grant awarded to a
State educational agency under this section--
(1) not more than 1-percent shall be used for
administrative costs;
(2) not more than 4-percent shall be used to carry out the
activities described in subsection (d)(1); and
(3) not less than 95-percent shall be used to award
subgrants in accordance with subsection (e).
(d) Grant Uses.--A State educational agency receiving a grant under
this section shall use such grant funds, in accordance with subsection
(c), to--
(1) develop and provide guidance to local educational
agencies receiving a subgrant under subsection (e) for the
development and implementation or improvement of the programs
described in subsection (e)(5)(A), including with respect to--
(A) assessing the workplace;
(B) creating such programs;
(C) engaging education professionals in such
programs; and
(D) evaluating the success of such programs; and
(2) award subgrants to local educational agencies in
accordance with subsection (e).
(e) Subgrants.--
(1) In general.--A State educational agency receiving a
grant under this section shall award, on a competitive basis,
subgrants to local educational agencies to develop and
implement, or improve existing, education professional wellness
programs.
(2) Application.--A local educational agency seeking a
grant under this section shall submit to the State educational
agency an application in such form, at such time, and
containing such information as the State educational agency
determines appropriate, including--
(A) a description of any education professional or
employee wellness programs carried out by the local
educational agency at the time of application for the
subgrant, as applicable, including whether and how such
programs can be expanded or altered to support the
retention of education professionals;
(B) the number of education professionals who will
be served by the programs implemented or improved
pursuant to the subgrant;
(C) a description of the education professionals
who will implement or improve the programs with the
local educational agency in accordance with paragraph
(5)(B); and
(D) a description of community partners that can
support or partner with the local educational agency by
offering programming and services related to wellness
of education professionals, including in-person and
virtual options.
(3) Subgrant amounts.--The State educational agency shall
determine subgrant amounts under this subsection with respect
to each local educational agency based on the following:
(A) The number of education professionals who would
be served by programs implemented or improved pursuant
to the subgrant.
(B) Whether the local educational agency carries
out education professional or employee wellness
programs at the time of application for the subgrant.
(4) Rural, remote, and high-need schools.--
(A) In general.--25-percent of the grant funds
described in subsection (c)(3) shall be used by the
State educational agency to award subgrants to local
educational agencies that serve 1 or more rural,
remote, or high-need schools, as defined by the State
educational agency.
(B) Exception.--If, at the conclusion of the
subgrant application period set by the State
educational agency, the State educational agency did
not receive an application from a local educational
agency described in subparagraph (A), the State
educational agency shall use the grant funds reserved
under such subparagraph to award subgrants to local
educational agencies that do not serve 1 or more rural,
remote, or high-need schools.
(5) Subgrant uses.--
(A) In general.--A local educational agency
receiving a subgrant under this subsection shall use
such subgrant funds to develop and implement, or
improve existing, wellness programs that meet the
health and wellness needs of education professionals,
such as by--
(i) contracting with coaches, trainers, or
instructors who specialize in stress
management, time management, nutrition,
cooking, non-violent communication, team
building, implicit bias, mental health, trauma,
social support, alcohol or substance use,
fitness, financial education, or other areas of
expertise deemed appropriate by the Secretary;
(ii) purchasing exercise equipment and
repurposing a room in a school building for
such equipment; and
(iii) repurposing a room in a school
building for a quiet space for education
professionals.
(B) Implementation.--
(i) In general.--The local educational
agency shall, in conjunction with the committee
described in clause (ii) and using the guidance
provided under subsection (d)(1), develop and
implement, or improve, as applicable, and
oversee the programs described in subparagraph
(A).
(ii) Committee.--The committee required
under clause (i) shall be composed of not fewer
than 3 education professionals from the local
educational agency, including--
(I) 1 education professional who is
a teacher;
(II) 1 education professional who
is a school administrator; and
(III) 1 education professional who
is other staff.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Education professional.--The term ``education
professional'' means, with respect to an elementary or
secondary school, a teacher, principal, other school leader,
paraprofessional, school administrator, and other staff.
(2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local
educational agency'', ``other staff'', ``paraprofessional'',
``school leader'', and ``secondary school'' have the meanings
given to such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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